Summer roundup: What you missed in CSU athletics this summer

Though Colorado State students are just entering their first week of the 2017 fall semester, student-athletes have been in full swing for weeks. The women’s soccer team has already played its first game, while other sports like football and volleyball are preparing for their first action of the 2017-18 seasons.

While the fall is certainly a busy time for CSU athletics, the summer featured its fair share of noteworthy moments. Here is everything you need to know from the summer of 2017.

Football and soccer find their new homes

A process three years in the making came to an end this summer when CSU officially completed the construction of the on-campus stadium. The university hosted several private events at the stadium early in the summer including weddings and banquets, while the public got its first look at the stadium during the open house event and scrimmage on Aug. 5. More than 21,000 fans showed up for the event, an indication of the public’s excitement for the home opener on Aug. 26.

The football team also got new practice fields located just west of the stadium, leaving its old practice facility open for the women’s soccer team. Rather than playing at the Lagoon, the Rams now have a definite soccer facility on the west end of campus. The Rams opened the new facility on Friday with a draw against nationally ranked Colorado.

Quartet of CSU basketball players go pro

The 2016-17 women’s and men’s basketball teams each featured one of the best duos in program history. On the women’s side, seniors Ellen Nystrom and Elin Gustavsson ended their brilliant collegiate careers with their fourth consecutive Mountain West title. In the beginning of June, both signed contracts to continue playing professionally in Spain. Nystrom signed with IDK Gipuzkoa UPV while Gustavsson will play for Embutidos Pajariel Bembibre PDM. Both teams are members of the Women’s League in Spain, and both players are expected to start.

For the men, seniors Gian Clavell and Emmanuel Omogbo each had busy summers playing in the NBA Summer Leagues. Clavell played in both the Orlando and Las Vegas leagues for the Miami Heat and displayed some of the same talent that made him the MW Player of the Year during his senior season. While playing in the Las Vegas portion of the Summer League, Clavell averaged 12.4 points per game. More importantly, he caught the eye of the Dallas Mavericks, who eventually signed him to a partially guaranteed minimum deal. The Mavericks can also choose to sign him to a two-way deal.

After playing for the Golden State Warriors in the Summer League, Omogbo decided to take his talents to Italy. The forward signed with Victoria Libertas Pallacanestro to continue his basketball career. The team plays in Pesaro, Italy and is a member of the Lega Basket Serie A.

Michael Gallup gaining national attention

For Colorado State fans, Gallup is a household name. However, the wide receiver expanded his prevalence to a national level this summer with multiple recognitions. In the middle of July, Gallup was named to the 2017 Biletnikoff Award watch list. The award recognizes the best receiver in college football. A week later, he was selected to the 2017 Preseason All-Mountain West Team. Throughout the offseason, Pro Football Focus, one of the most respected statistical outlets in the nation, recognized Gallup among college football’s best receivers.

Colorado State WR Michael Gallup should be a household name by season's end, if he isn't already.

The summer was a successful one for CSU golf. Both the men and women had multiple representatives in their respective U.S. Amateur tournaments. Katrina Prendergast and Ellen Secor both qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur while Jake Staiano, AJ Ott and Parathakorn “Poon” Suyasri competed in the men’s U.S. Amateur.

While those golfers excelled in the states. Men’s golfer Max Oelfke had arguably the most successful summer in Germany. After winning the International Amateur Golf Championship of Luxembourg in early July, Oelfke won the German Amateur title at the end of the month to cap off an outstanding summer.

Collegian sports editor Colin Barnard can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @ColinBarnard_.

About Colin Barnard

Colin Barnard is the Sports Editor for the Collegian. He is a junior at CSU studying journalism and economics and has been writing for the Collegian since 2016.

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